Spray Oil and Method of Use Therefor for Controlling Turfgrass Pests

ABSTRACT

A paraffinic spray oil and a method of using the spray oil for controlling turfgrass pests is disclosed. The spray oil comprises paraffinic oil and a quick break emulsifier, which is formulated as an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion for use. The paraffinic oil and emulsifier are present in a weight ratio ranging from about 95:5 to about 99.95:0.05, and preferably from about 98.5:1.5 to about 99.9:0.1. When applied to turfgrass, the O/W emulsion quickly releases the oil phase upon application to the turfgrass to contact pests thereon. When provided at sufficient paraffinic oil dosages, generally at least about 0.5 gal oil/acre and preferably in the range of about 0.5 gal/acre to about 60 gal/acre, the spray oil is effective in controlling a variety of turfgrass pests, particularly insect and fungal pests, with little or no phytotoxic effects. Further, use of the spray oil as indicated for controlling turfgrass pests also enhances the growth of turfgrass.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to spray oils, and in particular to paraffinicspray oils and their method of use for controlling turfgrass pests suchas harmful insects and fungi.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the field of agriculture and horticulture, it is well known to usespray oils in the control plant pests such as harmful insects, fungi,and microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. The base for such sprayoils are generally made of naturally occurring oils such as refinedpetroleum products, e.g., paraffinic oils, or oils extracted fromplants, vegetables or animals.

Spray oils are often formulated as an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion whichis periodically applied directly to plants. An emulsion is a dispersedsystem containing at least two normally immiscible phases, one beingdispersed as droplets in the other. Emulsions are thermodynamicallyunstable due to excess free energy associated with the surface of thedispersed droplets such that the particles tend to flocculate (clumpingtogether of dispersed droplets or particles) and subsequently coalesce(fusing together of agglomerates into a larger drop or droplets) todecrease the surface energy. If these droplets fuse, the emulsion will“break”, i.e. the phases will separate, destroying the emulsion andmaking it difficult to prepare formulations that have a suitableshelf-life for storage. To prevent or slow breaking of an emulsion, anemulsifying agent is typically added. The type and concentration of aparticular emulsifying agent will depend, inter alia, on the emulsionphase components and the desired result.

Spray oils are often used as a carrier for traditional syntheticchemical pesticides and for enhancing the activity of such pesticides.Alternatively, certain spray oils can be used alone as a bona fide pestcontrol agent, in which case the oil component itself is the activeingredient. Spray oil alone is thought to act by coating the pests toinduce a potential variety of effects, including suffocation of insects,modification of insect feeding and egg laying behavior, destruction offungi cell walls, removal of humidity and interference with physicalinteractions of fungi or viruses with the host plant.

For a number of reasons, it is preferable to use spray oils withoutadded chemical pesticides. For example, as compared with chemicalpesticides, spray oils are generally considered to be safer for humans,are less harmful to beneficial insects such as bees, and are morequickly degraded. In addition, the cost of effort of manufacturingchemical pesticides is avoided, while spray oils can be simply made outof inexpensive fractions of petroleum oil. The main limitation of sprayoils is their potential to cause plant injury (phytotoxicity) in somesituations, as with certain sensitive plants or plants under droughtstress.

The use of spray oil alone has been especially useful in effectivelycontrolling a variety of pests in tree crops, such as apple and orangetrees, grapes, vegetables, and flowering and ornamental plants. Examplesof such commercially available spray oils include Stylet-Oil (JMS FlowerFarms Inc., Vero Beach, Calif.) and PureSpray 10E (Petro-Canada,Calgary, Alberta), both of which contain paraffin oil, also known asmineral oil, as the active ingredient.

A particularly desirous use of spray oil alone is in the control ofturfgrass pests. Turfgrass generally includes any maintained grasssurface, such as lawns and golf courses. Turfgrass has beentraditionally treated with synthetic chemical compounds to controlpests, resulting is high maintenance costs and harmful effects to humansand the environment.

Although several non-petroleum spray oils have been disclosed as havinguse in treating turfgrass, such spray oils have not found widespreadcommercial use. For example, US patent application publication no.2003/0198686 to Keen discloses the use of a spray oil composed of acombination of fish oil and plant oil to control turfgrass pests.However, fish oils tend to be phytotoxic due to alcohol and acidproducts formed by ester hydrolysis and have an unpleasant smell. USpatent application publication no. 2003/0194454 to Bessette disclosesthe use of rosemary oil and wintergreen oil, alone or in combination, incontrolling turfgrass pests; however, such non-petroleum oils tend tobecome rancid upon prolonged exposure to sunlight.

To Applicant's knowledge, there is no petroleum-based spray oilindicated for use on turfgrass. Although Stylet-Oil, provided as aconcentrate of 97.1% v/v paraffin oil and 2.9% v/v non-ionic emulsifier,is indicated for use against stripe rust disease on grass grown for seedwhen applied at an oil dosage of 0.2-0.4 gal/acre, it is wellestablished that turfgrass differs significantly from grass grown forseed in several respects. For example, the major diseases that affectgrass grown for seed and turfgrass are not coterminous. In particular,as outlined in the Online Guide to Plant Disease Control of Oregon StateUniversity Extension (http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/) and in thehardcopy version, “The 2004 PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook”, thediseases of prime concern in the production of grass grown for seedinclude Rusts, Smuts, Molds, Silvertop, Barley Yellow Dwarf, Blind Seed,Ergot, Powdery Mildew, while the diseases of prime concern in turfmanagement include Anthracnose, Dollar Spot, Brown Patch, Grey Snow Moldand Pink Snow Mold. Further, for the few diseases that are in common,the chemical treatment regimes can be different. For example, althoughPowdery Mildew is not a major problem in turfgrass, when necessary,treatment with azoxystrobine fungicide is recommended at a dosage of4.1-8.7 oz of solid azostrobine per acre, compared with 1.65-4.05 oz ofsolid azoxysrtobine per acre for grass grown for seed. The differencesbetween grass grown for seed and turfgrass may be due to physiologicaland physical differences imposed by different growing conditions andenvironments, the greater degree of stress imposed on turfgrass due toinjuries caused by traffic and repeated mowing of turfgrass, and theremoval of pest control agents when the turfgrass in mowed.

In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for an improvedspray oil composition for control of pests of turfgrass.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a paraffinic spray oil composition that isapplied to turfgrass as an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion and is effectivein controlling turfgrass pests without added synthetic chemicalpesticides.

In one aspect of the invention, the spray oil contains a quick breakemulsifier in a proportion with a paraffinic oil that allows the oil tobe quickly released from the O/W emulsion upon application to theturfgrass for contact of pests thereon. In one embodiment, the spray oilcontains an oil-to-emulsifier ratio ranging from 95:5 to 99.95:0.05,preferably from 98.5:1.5 to 99.9:0.1, and most preferably 99.2:0.8. Thespray oil can be provided in a variety of formulations, including anoil-emulsifier concentrate and O/W emulsions. The O/W emulsion generallycomprises paraffinic oil at about 1-50% by weight, and preferably about10-30% by weight.

The paraffinic oil includes any oil enriched in paraffin. In oneembodiment, the paraffin has a number of carbon atoms ranging from about12 to about 50 (C12 to C50) or combinations thereof, and preferably witha carbon number ranging from about C16 to about C35 and with an averagecarbon number of about C23. Preferably, the paraffin content of theparaffinic oil is at least about 80%, and more preferably at least about90%, and most preferably at least about 99%. Suitable paraffinic oilshave been refined to remove impurities that are harmful to plants,especially aromatics.

The emulsifier can be any quick break emulsifier suitable for achievingthe desired result. Exemplary emulsifiers include alkyl phenolethoxylates, nonylphenolethyoxylate, dodecylphenolethoxylates, andethoxylated alcohol/glycerol oleate mixtures, or combinations thereof.

Notably, it is generally considered that turfgrass is under stress dueto its use and maintenance, such that there is an expectation thatturfgrass is particularly susceptible to potential toxic effects ofspray oils. Surprisingly, Applicant has found that when the spray oil isapplied to turfgrass, particularly at an oil dosage that is higher thantypically used in other spray oil applications, the spray oil iseffective in controlling a variety of turfgrass pests, including insectsand fungi, with little or no phytotoxic effects.

Accordingly, in another aspect of the invention, the invention providesa method for controlling turfgrass pests comprising applying aneffective amount of the spray oil to the turfgrass. In one embodiment,the effective amount provides a paraffinic oil dosage of at least about0.5 gal/acre, preferably from about 5 gal/acre to about 60 gal/acre, andmore preferably from about 10 gal/acre to about 20 gal/acre, and whichcan be applied periodically as needed. The optimal dosage may varyaccording to the type of turfgrass, the type and amount of pest on theturfgrass, and the environmental conditions, and can be readilydetermined by established biological tests.

Unexpectedly, Applicant has also found that when the spray oil isapplied to turfgrass as indicated for controlling pests, the growth ofthe turfgrass is enhanced.

Accordingly, in another broad aspect of the invention, the inventionprovides a spray oil and method of use of the spray oil for enhancingthe growth of turfgrass comprising applying an effective amount of thespray oil to the turfgrass.

In addition, the components of the invention are provided as kits foruse in controlling turfgrass pests and for enhancing the growth ofturfgrass, wherein the kits comprise the spray oil and instructions foruse of the spray oil.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The spray oil composition of the present invention generally comprises aparaffinic oil as the active ingredient and a quick break emulsifier.The composition is normally provided as an emulsifiable concentratecontaining the paraffinic oil and emulsifier, which is thereafterprepared for use as a diluted oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. In the O/Wemulsion, the oil phase is dispersed in the continuous aqueous phase viathe emulsifier. As described in more detail below, the ratio of oil toemulsifier allows the O/W emulsion to quickly break upon application tothe turfgrass, thereby releasing the oil component onto the grass bladefor the control of pests thereon. Surprisingly, when used atconcentrations effective for controlling turfgrass pests, there arelittle or no phytotoxic effects. Furthermore, it was unexpectedlyobserved that turfgrass treated with the spray oil exhibited morevigorous growth than that observed for untreated turfgrass and turfgrasstreated with chemical pest control agents.

As used herein, the terms “turfgrass” or “grass” generally refer tograsses that are periodically cut or mowed to provide a groundcover forvarious utility, recreational or aesthetic purposes. Exemplaryturfgrasses include Fescues, Rye, Bent, Bahia, St. Augustine, Centipede,Kentucky bluegrass, Zoysia Native Grasses (e.g., Buffalo grass, BlueGrama and Wheatgrasses), Seashore Paspalum, Carpet Grass, Buffo, andBeach Grass. Such grasses are typically found locations such as parks,golf courses, sports fields, sod farms, roadsides, and lawns for housingresidences, commercial sites, and institutional grounds.

As used herein, the terms “turfgrass pest” or “pest” generally refer toliving organisms occurring on turfgrass that are not desired to occur onturfgrass or that cause damage to turfgrass. Turfgrass pests include butare not limited to insects (adult and larval forms), fungi, andmicroorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, and are particularlycontemplated to include stationary fungus, creeping, crawling hopping orflying insects, or burrowing or subterranean pests that reside on thegrass blade during a pre-adult stage of their lifecycle. Exemplaryturfgrass pests include, for example, bluegrass weevils, cutworms, sodwebworms, pillbugs, grubs, aphids, mites, chinch bugs, chafers, beetles,grasshoppers, scales, cranefly, earwigs, slugs, ants, fleas, mealybugs,ticks, and causative agents of Grey Leaf Spot, Dollar Spot, Grey SnowMold, Pink Snow Mold, Brown Patch, Anthracnose, Yellow Turf, PowderyMildew, Pythium Foliar Blight Disease, Necrotic Ring Spot, Pink Patch,Red Thread, Leaf Blight, Yellow Patch, Downey Mildew, Pythium Blight,Rusts, Stripe Smut, Summer Leaf Spot, Take-All Patch, and MicrodochiumPatch Disease, or combinations thereof.

As used herein, the term “control” or “controlling” generally refer topreventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating turfgrass pests.

As used herein, the term “spray oil” generally refers to a paraffinicoil-containing composition, including concentrates and oil-in-wateremulsion formulations.

Generally defined, paraffinic oil is any oil enriched in paraffin(saturated hydrocarbon). Particularly useful paraffinic oils of thepresent invention include paraffins having a number of carbon atomsranging from about 12 to about 50 (C12 to C50) or combinations thereof,and preferably with a carbon number ranging from about C16 to about C35and with an average carbon number of about C23. Preferably, theparaffinic oil has a paraffin content of at least about 80%, with aparaffin content of at least about 90% being more preferred, and aparaffin content of at least about 99% being most preferred. Suitableparaffin oils include HT100 and High Flash Jet, both manufactured byPetro-Canada, Calgary, Alberta.

Preferably, the paraffinic oil is refined so as to substantially removeimpurities in the oil that are associated with plant injury, such asaromatic compounds, compounds containing sulfur, nitrogen or oxygen. Forexample, the paraffin oil preferably contains an aromatic content ofless than 10% w/w and more preferably, less than 2% w/w.

In general, the emulsifiers of the present invention are of theso-called “quick break” variety such that, when present in a suitableproportion or ratio with the oil, the resulting quick break O/W emulsionquickly releases the oil phase (active ingredient) upon application tothe turfgrass. Consequently, there is less runoff of the O/W emulsionfrom the grass blades as compared to more stable O/W emulsions, suchthat a sufficient amount of oil adheres to the turfgrass for asufficient amount of time to effectively contact and control associatedturfgrass pests. Preferably the oil resides on the turfgrass for aperiod of not less than one hour.

Emulsifiers that are particularly suited for use in the spray oilinclude but are not limited to alkyl phenol ethoxylates,nonylphenolethyoxylate, dodecylphenolethoxylates, and ethoxylatedalcohol/glycerol oleate mixtures, or combinations thereof. Emulsifiersthat have minimal environmental risk, such as ethoxylatedalcohol/glycerol oleate mixtures, are preferred.

The paraffin oil and emulsifier are present in a weight ratio ofoil:emulsifier ranging from about 95:5 to 99.95:0.05, preferably fromabout 98.5:1.5 to 99.9:0.1, and more preferably about 99.2:0.8.Applicant has found that such ratios are desirable for optimumperformance of the spray oil on turfgrass, while at the same timeproviding suitable stability of the O/W emulsion to allow for areasonable timeframe for its preparation and storage.

The spray oil is normally provided as an oil-emulsifier concentratecontaining about 95-99.95% by weight paraffinic oil and 0.0.05-5.0% byweight (w/w) emulsifier, preferably about 98.5-99.9% by weightparaffinic oil and 0.1-1.5% by weight emulsifier, and more preferablyabout 99.2% by weight paraffinic oil and about 0.8% by weightemulsifier. The concentrate can be prepared as described in Example 1below, or by any suitable method as is known in the art so as to providea uniform solution of paraffinic oil and emulsifier.

The spray oil can also be provided as a kit which includes the spray oiland instructions for using the spray oil in packaged form. Preferablythe paraffinic oil and emulsifier are provided as a pre-mixedconcentrate, however, the paraffinic oil and emulsifier may also beprovided as individual components.

For use, the paraffinic oil-emulsifier concentrate is admixed with waterto form an O/W emulsion. In particular, the concentrate is diluted inwater to provide a final paraffinic oil content of ranging from about 1%to 50% by weight, and preferably from of about 10% to 30% by weight. Ifa concentrate is not used, the individual components can simply beadmixed simultaneously at their desired final amounts. Alternatively,emulsifiers provided as aqueous solutions can be premixed with waterprior to admixing with the paraffinic oil.

Any suitable method for forming an O/W emulsion can be used, as is knownin the art, such as that described in Example 1 below. Such methodsusually involve tank mixing of the components by applying shear using apaddle mixer or blender. Alternatively, the separate components can becombined at the nozzle of a spray gun to form the O/W emulsion. In anycase, the O/W emulsion should be prepared with one or two hours beforeuse.

Preferably, the water component is distilled water or other such waterhaving low mineral electrolyte content. Mineral electrolytes may causethe O/W emulsion to break prematurely, such as during storage or beforethe O/W emulsion has spread evenly over the grass blade, and aretherefore not desirable.

The formulations can also include compatible customary additives oradjuvants for turfgrass protection. These include, for example,surfactants, dispersants, wetters, thickeners, organic solvents,cosolvents, antifoams, carboxylic acids, preservatives, stabilizers, andthe like. Although not required, chemical pesticides and herbicides canalso be included in the emulsions.

To control turfgrass pests, the O/W emulsion is applied to the turfgrassto provide an oil dosage that is sufficient to effectively controlturfgrass pests. The spray oil may also be reapplied as required.Exemplary application regimens are provided in Table 1. TABLE 1Exemplary spray oil regimens % oil by weight spray volume of dosage ofoil of O/W emulsion O/W emulsion (active ingredient) 1-50% 10-100gal/acre 0.1-50 gal/acre 10-30%  50-200 gal/acre 0.5-60 gal/acre

In general, the preferred paraffinic oil dosage is at least about 0.5gal/acre, preferably ranging from about 0.5 gal/acre to about 60gal/acre, and more preferably ranging from about 10 gal/acre to about 20gal/acre. However, the most effective treatment for a specificapplication will generally depend on the type of turfgrass, the type ofpest(s), the level of infestation and the environmental conditions andmay be readily determined by established biological tests known to thoseskilled in the art. For example, Applicant has found that the optimaloil dosage for controlling Snow Mold is about 20 gal/acre to about−30gal/acre.

The spray oil can be applied to turfgrass by spraying, misting,sprinkling, pouring, or any other suitable method for achieving thedesired result. Preferably, the O/W emulsion is applied by spraymethods, for example, using a standard spray apparatus, in which casethe droplet size, pressure and volume delivered may be suitably adjustedfor a particular application.

When used as described herein, the O/W emulsion of the present inventionis effective in controlling a variety of turfgrass pests. Optimalcontrol is achieved by adjusting the timing of the application anddosage so as to target the turfgrass pest when it is most vulnerable,such as during egg or crawler stages.

Importantly, despite the application of high dosages of the spray oil toturfgrass, the spray oil has little or no perceptible phytotoxic effect.Furthermore, Applicant has observed that the treated turfgrass has apleasant residual luster and, with the exception of spray oil with ahigh C40 or greater carbon content, the grass is not greasy or oily tothe touch. As an unexpected benefit, the treated turfgrass appeared toexhibit more vigorous growth than untreated turfgrass or turfgrasstreated with chemical pest control agents alone (i.e. no oil applied).

The following examples are provided to better illustrate variousembodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention.

EXAMPLE 1 General Materials and Methods Oils and emulsifiers

The following oils and emulsifiers shown in Tables 2 and 3 were used asindicated in the examples. TABLE 2 Oils No. Oil Source Type Carbons Ave.HT100 Petro-Canada* >99% paraffin oil C16 to C40 C27 fraction High FlashJet Petro-Canada* >99% paraffin oil C12 to C21 C16 fraction LSRDPetro-Canada* >99% paraffin oil C12 to C21 C16 fraction*Calgary, AB, Canada

TABLE 3 Emulsifiers Emulsifier Source Components AL3149 Uniqema* C10 toC16 alcohol ethoxylates and glycerol oleate AL3313 Uniqema*Polyoxyethyene lauryl ether, C10 to C16 alcohol ethoxylates, andglycerol oleate*New Castle, DE, USA

Preparation of Concentrates

Concentrate formulas as described in the following examples wereprepared by adding the emulsifier to the oil at the indicated amountsunder mild agitation at room temperature or with mild heating at about50° C.

Concentrate Formulations

The following concentrate formulations shown in Table 4 were used asindicated in the examples. TABLE 4 Concentrate formulations (all valuesin % w/w of concentrate) Oil Emulsifier Examples P1 99.5% HT100 0.5%AL3313 3 P2 50% HT100 + High 0.5% AL3313 3, 4 49.5% Flash Jet P3 95%HT100 5% AL3313 3 P4 99.5% HT100 0.5% AL3149 5 XPO2 99.5% of 50/50 0.5%AL3313 6 blend of LSRD + HT100 PC1 99.25% HT100 0.75% AL3149 7, 8, 9 PC299.25% of 50/50 0.75% AL3313 8 blend of LSRD + HT100

Preparation of Oil-in-Water Emulsions

Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions as described in the following examples wereprepared by mixing the concentrate with water as indicated using apaddle mixer under low shear conditions for a period of several minutesor until the solution becomes transparent. The O/W emulsions weretypically prepared in advance and stored for later use.

EXAMPLE 2 Testing for Proper Adhesion of Oil on Turfgrass

To determine the impact of the oil to emulsifier ratio on properadhesion of the oil on turfgrass, an oil-soluble blue dye, Agent 376,was added to O/W emulsions at 0.2% by weight during admixing. The O/Wemulsions were prepared from concentrates having various ratios of HT100to AL3149 (see Tables 2 and 3 for compositions of HT100 and A13149,respectively), and with an oil content of 10% by weight of the O/Wemulsion. Individual blades of Vertical Palm Grass were hung verticallyand 100 ml of the dyed—O/W emulsion was applied to a set of 5 blades.The relative staining of turfgrass was determined by visual observation,with a higher degree of staining being indicative of better adhesion.The results, as shown in Table 5, indicate that the ratio of oil toemulsifier needs to be adjusted to achieve optimal adhesion of the oilon the turfgrass. TABLE 5 Staining of turfgrass ratio of oil:emulsifierStaining 98.8:1.2 Light 99.4:0.6 Dark 99.5:0.5 Darkest 99.94:0.06Darkest 99.95:0.05 Darkest

EXAMPLE 3 Control of Oriental Beetle Grubs

The effect of different O/W emulsion formulations when applied atdifferent dosages to turfgrass were evaluated for their effectiveness incontrolling oriental beetles in Perennial ryegrass. Oriental beetlegrubs were collected in the fall and over-wintered. The followingspring, turfgrass grown in small containers was inoculated with thegrubs at a density of 5 grubs/pot prior to application of O/W emulsionto the turfgrass. P1, P2 and P3 concentrates (see Table 4) were preparedas O/W emulsions and applied to the turfgrass using a spray volumeequivalent to 88 gal/acre (2 gal/1000 sq ft) to provide the oil dosagesshown in Table 6. TABLE 6 Dosage of emulsions % oil in O/W emulsion kgoil/hectare lb oil/acre gal oil/acre Low 6.3 43 39 5.5 Medium 12.3 87 7710.8 High 49.1 346 309 43.2

After 14 days, the grubs were counted to determine their mortalitycompared to untreated turfgrass. The results as averaged from 7 trials,as shown in Table 7, demonstrate that the spray oil is useful incontrolling insect pests in turfgrass. TABLE 7 Control of orientalbeetle grubs in perennial ryegrass % increase in mortality P1 low 143 P1med 86 P1 high 115 P2 low 43 P2 low 157 P2 med 71 P3 high 43

EXAMPLE 4 Control of Chinch Bugs

To determine the efficacy of the invention in controlling Southernchinch bugs (Blissus insularis) under field conditions, a cylindermethod for field pesticide screening reported by Crocker and Tubbs(1981, J. Econ. Entomol. 74: 730-731) was used. In April, polyvinylchloride (PVC) cylinders were set into holes dug in plots of St.Augustine grass, with 5 cylinders as replicates in each of 5 plots (25cylinders total). Each cylinder was 6 inches in diameter (˜1.5 sq. ft.)by 6 inches high and driven into the soil so that the rim was about 4inches above the soil surface. Southern chinch bugs were field collectedfrom Palm Beach County, Florida and 40 chinch bugs (adults and medium tolarge size nymphs) were put into each of the 25 cylinders. Each cylinderwas then covered with fine mesh cloth held in place with rubber bands toallow air, sunlight, and rain into the cylinders. The next day, thecloth tops were removed from some of the cylinders and a 10% O/Wemulsion prepared from P2 concentrate (see Table 4) was applied at adosage corresponding to 17.4 gal oil/acre to the cylinders using a CO₂backpack sprayer at 40 psi. The cloth tops were thereafter quicklyreplaced. The other cylinders were used as untreated controls. After 7days, the 25 cylinders were dug up and each cylinder was placed in aseparate bucket. The buckets were slowly flooded with water in alaboratory and live chinch bugs surfacing were counted.

The untreated control cylinders had a mortality of 0%, while the treatedcylinders had an average mortality of 39%, thereby demonstrating thatthe spray oil is useful in controlling insect pests in turfgrass.

EXAMPLE 5 Control of Grey Leaf Spot

Gray Leaf Spot is a turfgrass disease caused by the fungus Cersosporazeas-maydis. Initial symptoms of Grey Leaf Spot include tiny, brownspots or lesions on leaves and stolons, which quickly enlarge and becomeoval or elongated in shape. Mature lesions have a gray necrotic centerwith a brown to red boarder within a chlorotic periphery. Severeinfection results in a scorched appearance and the turf density becomesreduced.

Experiments to determine the effect of the spray oil on Grey Leaf Spotin St. Augustine turfgrass were conducted in Florida from May through tomid-August. A 30% O/W emulsion was prepared from P4 concentrate (seeTable 4) and the emulsion was applied biweekly to the turfgrass at aspray volume of 1500 gal/acre to provide a dosage of 450 gal oil/acre.An untreated control was used for comparison purposes, as well a numberof commercially available chemical fungicides applied biweekly accordingto the manufacturer's instructions. The grasses were rated for visualindication of disease by a trained evaluator.

After about 60 days following treatment, the spray oil was shown to haveoutperformed many of the comparative chemical treatments, with the sprayoil and only one chemical treatment rated as having the little or noindication of disease. Therefore, the spay oil is useful in controllingfungal infections in turfgrass.

Surprisingly, despite the frequent application of a very high dosage ofoil, there were no indications of phytotoxicity. As an unexpectedresult, the turfgrass treated with the oil formulation exhibited morevigorous growth than untreated grass or grass treated with chemicals.Furthermore, the spray oil treated turfgrass had a pleasant residualluster and was not greasy or oily to the touch.

EXAMPLE 6 Control of Grey Leaf Spot

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the spray oil onGrey Leaf Spot in perennial ryegrass turfgrass. The experiments wereconducted in the state of Pennsylvania during the summer. A 10% and 20%O/W emulsion was prepared from XPO2 concentrate (see Table 4) and theemulsion was applied to the turfgrass biweekly at a spray volume of 100gal/acre. An untreated control was used for comparison purposes, as wella commercially available chemical fungicide, Heritage LT, diluted at 0.8fl oz in 2 gal water. The turfgrass was rated for visual indication ofdisease based on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 showing the most indicationof disease. The results, as shown in Table 8, demonstrate the spray oilis useful in treating fungal infections in turfgrass. TABLE 8 Control ofGrey Leaf Spot in perennial ryegrass Disease Rating Untreated 5.0Heritage LT 0.3 XPO2, 10% O/W emulsion 2.3 XPO2, 20% O/W emulsion 1.7

EXAMPLE 7 Control of Sod Web Worm

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the spray oil onsod webworm in St. Augustine turfgrass. The experiment was conductedduring the fall in Florida using a 20% O/W emulsion prepared from PC1concentrate (see Table 4). A commercially available broad spectruminsecticide, Talstar One 0.79 SC (Bifenthrin, made by FMC), as well asan untreated control were also evaluated for comparison purposes. Thespray oil O/W emulsion and Talstar were applied at a spray volume of 196gal/acre (4 gal/1000 sq. ft.) and 88 gal/acre (2 gal/1000 sq.ft.),respectively, then grass blades were excised and placed in a Petridishes. Five webworm larvae were deposited on the blades in each dishand mortality was determined after a 4 days. Six different sets ofexperiments were conducted. The averaged results, as shown in Table 9,demonstrate the spray oil is useful as a prophylactic treatment incontrolling pests in turfgrass. TABLE 9 Control of sod webworm in St.Augustine turfgrass Dosage of active ingredient Mortality % UntreatedNone 26.7 PC1 34.8 gal oil/acre 96.7 Talstar 29.1 oz/acre 100

EXAMPLE 8 Control of Annual Bluegrass Weevil

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the spray oil onAnnual bluegrass weevil in a turfgrass mixture of 35% annual bluegrassand 65% bentgrass mowed to 0.5″ height. The experiment was carried outin the state of New Jersey in the spring at the Upper Montclair CountryClub in the City of Clifton using a 12.5% O/W emulsion of PC1 and PC2concentrates (see Table 4). Talstar (see Example 7), as well as anuntreated control were also evaluated for comparison purposes. Productwas applied to 6 ft2 plots at a spray volume of 88 gal/acre (2 gal/1000sq. ft.) on April 19, May 10, and May 24, with 4 replicate plots foreach treatment group. Performance was assessed 14 days after finalapplication by counting the number of annual bluegrass weevil stages in8 turf sod cores compared to untreated samples. Phytotoxicity was alsoassessed within 1 week of application and in all cases no perceptiblephytotoxicity was observed. The results, as shown in Table 10,demonstrate the spray oil is effective in controlling insect pests inturfgrass. TABLE 10 Control of Annual Bluegrass Weevil inbluegrass-bentgrass Dosage of active ingredient % Reduction Talstar 0.1lb Talstar/acre 99 PC2 11 gal oil/acre 62 PC1 11 gal oil/acre 71 PC2 +Talstar 11 gal oil/acre + 97 0.05 lb Talstar/acre

EXAMPLE 9 Control of Dollar Spot

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of spray oil onDollar Spot Disease (caused by the fungus, Sclerotinia homoeocarpa) inbentgrass. The experiment was conducted during the summer and fall inOntario using a 10% emulsions of PC1 (see Table 4). A commerciallyavailable fungicide, Daconil 2787 (40% chlorothalonil, made bySyngenta), as well as an untreated control, were also evaluated forcomparison purposes. The experimental design consisted of a randomizedcomplete block design with 4 replications, with each plot measuring 1m×2 m. Treatments were first applied on August 5, and on August 6 theturf was inoculated with Sclerotinia homoeocarpa. Treatments werereapplied every two weeks after initial treatment until September 30using a wheel-mounted compressed air boom sprayer using Lumark 03-F110nozzles at 140 kPa in water, with a spray volume of 10 litre/100 m² (106gal/acre) and 11 litre/100 m² (116 gal/acre) for PC1 and Daconil,respectively.

Dollar Spot Disease was evaluated weekly for five weeks after initialtreatment by estimating number of infection centres per plot as comparedwith the control. Phytotoxicity was also evaluated, as indicated byyellowing of the grass. The results, as shown in Table 11, demonstratethat the spray oil is effective in controlling fungal pests inturfgrass. TABLE 11 Control of dollar spot in bentgrass Dosage of active% Reduction % Reduction ingredient Sep. 23 Oct. 7 PC1 10.6 gal/acre 9795 Daconil 2787 2.02 gal/acre 37 63

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described insome detail herein above, those skilled in the art will recognize thatvarious substitutions and modifications of the invention may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention as defined by theclaims as defined herein.

1. A spray oil comprising: paraffinic oil; and quick break emulsifier,wherein the weight ratio of the paraffinic oil to the emulsifier rangesfrom about 95:5 to about 99.95:0.05, and wherein the spray oil is usedto control turfgrass pests.
 2. The spray oil of claim 1 wherein theweight ratio ranges from about 98.5:1.5 to about 99.9:0.1.
 3. The sprayoil of claim 2 wherein the paraffinic oil contains paraffin having acarbon number ranging from about C12 to about C50 or a combinationthereof.
 4. The spray oil of claim 3 wherein the carbon number rangesfrom about C16 to about C35 with an average carbon number of about 23.5. The spray oil of claim 2 wherein the paraffinic oil has a paraffincontent of at least about 90%.
 6. The spray oil of claim 2 wherein theparaffinic oil has a paraffin content of at least about 99%.
 7. Thespray oil of claim 2 wherein the emulsifier is selected from the groupconsisting of alkyl phenol ethoxylates, nonylphenolethyoxylate,dodecylphenolethoxylates, and ethoxylated alcohol/glycerol oleatemixtures, or combinations thereof.
 8. The spray oil of claim 2 whereinthe spray oil is a concentrate of the paraffinic oil and the emulsifier,and wherein the concentrate is formulated as an oil-in-water emulsionbefore use.
 9. The spray oil of claim 2 wherein the spray oil is anoil-in-water emulsion.
 10. The spray oil of claim 2 wherein the sprayoil is used at a paraffinic oil dosage of at least about 0.5 gal/acre.11. The spray oil of claim 2 wherein the turfgrass pests are selectedfrom the group consisting of bluegrass weevils, cutworms, sod webworms,pillbugs, grubs, aphids, mites, chinch bugs, chafers, beetles,grasshoppers, scales, cranefly, earwigs, slugs, ants, fleas, mealybugs,ticks, and causative agents of Grey Leaf Spot, Dollar Spot, Grey SnowMold, Pink Snow Mold, Brown Patch, Anthracnose, Yellow Turf, PowderyMildew, Pythium Foliar Blight Disease, Necrotic Ring Spot, Pink Patch,Red Thread, Leaf Blight, Yellow Patch, Downey Mildew, Pythium Blight,Rusts, Stripe Smut, Summer Leaf Spot, Take-All Patch, and MicrodochiumPatch Disease, or combinations thereof.
 12. The spray oil of claim 2wherein the turfgrass pests are selected from the group consisting ofbluegrass weevils, cutworms, sod webworms, mites, and causative agentsof Grey Leaf Spot, Dollar Spot, Grey Now Mold, Pink Snow Mold, BrownPatch, and Anthracnose, or combinations thereof.
 13. The spray oil ofclaim 2 wherein the turfgrass is selected from the group consisting ofFescues, Rye, Bent, Bahia, St. Augustine, Centipede, Kentucky bluegrass,Zoysia Native Grasses, Buffalo grass, Blue Grama, Wheatgrasses, SeashorePaspalum, Carpet Grass, Buffo, and Beach Grass, or combinations thereof.14. The spray oil of claim 1 wherein: The paraffinic oil has a paraffincontent of about 99% and wherein the paraffin has a carbon numberranging from about C16 to about C35, with an average carbon number ofabout C23; and wherein: the emulsifier contains a combination ofpolyoxyethylene lauryl ether, C10 to C16 alcohol ethoxylates andglycerol oleate, wherein the weight ratio of the paraffinic oil to theemulsifier is about 99.2:0.8, and wherein the spray oil is used tocontrol turfgrass pests by applying an oil-in-water emulsion of thespray oil to the turfgrass at a dosage of paraffinic oil of about 10gal/acre to about 20 gal/acre.
 15. A method for controlling turfgrasspests comprising: applying to the turfgrass an oil-in-water emulsion ofthe spray oil of claim 2 in an amount effective for controllingturfgrass pests.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the dosage ofparaffinic oil is at least about 0.5 gal/acre.
 17. The method of claim15 wherein the dosage of paraffinic oil ranges from about 0.5 gal/acreto about 60 gal/acre.
 18. The method of claim 15 wherein the dosage ofparaffinic oil ranges from about 10 gal/acre to about 20 gal/acre. 19.The method of claim 15 wherein the turfgrass pests are selected from thegroup consisting of bluegrass weevils, cutworms, sod webworms, pillbugs,grubs, aphids, mites, chinch bugs, chafers, beetles, grasshoppers,scales, cranefly, earwigs, slugs, ants, fleas, mealybugs, ticks, andcausative agents of Grey Leaf Spot, Dollar Spot, Grey Snow Mold, PinkSnow Mold, Brown Patch, Anthracnose, Yellow Turf, Powdery Mildew,Pythium Foliar Blight Disease, Necrotic Ring Spot, Pink Patch, RedThread, Leaf Blight, Yellow Patch, Downey Mildew, Pythium Blight, Rusts,Stripe Smut, Summer Leaf Spot, Take-All Parch, and Microdochium PatchDisease, or combinations thereof.
 20. The method of claim 15 wherein theturfgrass pests are selected from the group consisting of bluegrassweevils, cutworms, sod webworms, mites, and causative agents of GreyLeaf Spot, Dollar Spot, Grey Now Mold, Pink Snow Mold, Brown Patch, andAnthracnose, or combinations thereof.
 21. The method of claim 15 whereinthe turfgrass is selected from the group consisting of Fescues, Rye,Bent, Bahia, St. Augustine, Centipede, Kentuky bluegrass, Zoysia NativeGrasses, Buffalo grass, Blue Grama, Wheatgrasses, Seashore Paspalum,Carpet Grass, Buffo, and Beach Grass, or combinations thereof.
 22. Themethod of claim 15 wherein: The paraffinic oil has a paraffin content ofabout 99% and wherein the paraffin has a carbon number ranging fromabout C16 to about C35, with an average carbon number of about 23, andwherein the emulsifier contains a combination of polyoxyethylene laurylether, C10 to C16 alcohol ethoxylates and glycerol oleate, wherein theweight ratio of the paraffinic oil to the emulsifier is about 99.2:0.8;and wherein the oil-in-water emulsion is applied at a dosage ofparaffinic oil of about 10 gal/acre to about 20 gal/acre.
 23. A kitcomprising the following components in packaged form: the spray oil ofclaim 2, wherein the paraffinic oil and the emulsifier are providedindividually or as a mixture; and instructions for using the spray oilfor controlling turfgrass pests.
 24. A spray oil comprising: paraffinicoil; and quick break emulsifier, wherein the weight ratio of theparaffin oil to the emulsifier ranges from about 95:5 to about99.95:0.05, and wherein the spray oil is used to enhance the growth ofturfgrass.